1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to building code; bleacher safety; modifying 
  1.3             bleacher safety requirements; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 16B.616, 
  1.5             subdivisions 3 and 4; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
  1.6             1999 Supplement, section 16B.616, subdivision 6. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  1.9   16B.616, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 3.  [SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.] In places of public 
  1.11  accommodation using bleacher seating, all bleachers or bleacher 
  1.12  open spaces over 30 60 inches above grade or the floor below, 
  1.13  must conform to the following safety requirements: 
  1.14     (1) the open space between bleacher footboards, seats, and 
  1.15  guardrails must not exceed four inches, unless approved safety 
  1.16  nets are installed; 
  1.17     (2) bleachers must have vertical perimeter guardrails with 
  1.18  no more than four-inch rail spacing between vertical rails or 
  1.19  other approved guardrails that address climbability climbing 
  1.20  ability and are designed to prevent accidents; and 
  1.21     (3) the state building official shall determine whether the 
  1.22  safety nets and guardrail climbability meet the requirements of 
  1.23  the alternate design section of the State Building Code.  all 
  1.24  new bleachers manufactured, installed, sold, or distributed 
  1.25  after January 1, 2001, must comply with the State Building Code 
  1.26  in effect and clauses (1), (2), and (3) this subdivision. 
  2.1      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  2.2   16B.616, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.3      Subd. 4.  [ENFORCEMENT.] (a) A statutory or home rule 
  2.4   charter city that is not covered by the code because of action 
  2.5   taken under section 16B.72 or 16B.73 A private or public entity, 
  2.6   however organized, that owns or operates a place of public 
  2.7   accommodation is responsible for enforcement in the city of the 
  2.8   code's requirements for bleacher safety.  In all other areas 
  2.9   where the code does not apply because of action taken under 
  2.10  section 16B.72 or 16B.73, the county is responsible for 
  2.11  enforcement of those requirements. 
  2.12     (b) Municipalities that have not adopted the code may 
  2.13  enforce the code requirements for bleacher safety by either 
  2.14  entering into a joint powers agreement for enforcement with 
  2.15  another municipality that has adopted the code or contracting 
  2.16  for enforcement with a qualified and certified building official 
  2.17  or state licensed design professional to enforce the code.  A 
  2.18  public or private entity, that owns or operates a place of 
  2.19  public accommodation, must duly designate an employee, officer, 
  2.20  or agent as the entity's compliance officer.  The compliance 
  2.21  officer shall perform inspections, determine whether the safety 
  2.22  nets and guardrail climbing ability meet the requirements of the 
  2.23  alternate design section of the State Building Code, and certify 
  2.24  as to compliance with this section.  
  2.25     (c) Municipalities, school districts, organizations, 
  2.26  individuals, and other persons Public or private entities 
  2.27  operating or owning places of public accommodation with 
  2.28  bleachers shall must provide a signed certification of 
  2.29  compliance to the commissioner by January 1, 2001.  The 
  2.30  certification shall be prepared by a qualified and certified 
  2.31  building official or state licensed design professional the 
  2.32  entity's duly designated compliance officer in the manner and on 
  2.33  forms prescribed by the commissioner and shall certify that the 
  2.34  bleachers have been inspected and are in compliance with the 
  2.35  requirements of this section and are structurally sound. 
  2.36     Sec. 3.  [REPEALER.] 
  3.1      Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 16B.616, 
  3.2   subdivision 6, is repealed.